About three days later, the next time Alastor went into town, he was in a very good mood. Granted he always tried to wake up in a good mood but this was a different kind of good. He wasn't just happy because that made work and life easier, he was sincerely happy. Ever since the Fourth of July festival, he had been on cloud nine. Behaving so care free and sweet. Finding joy in everything, including things that he hated.
"Good morning Mrs. Walters." He greeted the old woman he knew to sell perfume that he thought was way too strong. "That fragrance you're wearing is simply lovely on you and your little poodle is looking quite adorable today."
"Thank you Mr. Boudreaux." She replied.
Beth looked at her brother confused.
"Since when do you like her perfume?" She asked when Mrs. Walters was long gone. "And find dogs adorable? You hate dogs."
"I was just being polite. Like always."
"Well yeah but you've never been so polite that you would compliment something you didn't like."
"Beth I have a surprise for you tomorrow." Alastor said ignoring her words. "I've graciously asked Rosie to take you to the aquarium and to the fudge shop."
"Really?! That's great! I've always- Wait, why?"
"No reason. I just wanted to be nice."
"What's going on? Is it time for my vaccines? Dentist appointment?"
"Neither. I just thought you'd enjoy that."
"Oh...Okay. But what are you going to do while I'm gone?"
"Oh Charlie and I are just going to clean up the house and run a few errands. We thought we wouldn't saddle you with such a boring day."
He wasn't lying. Beth could tell. Just as he could always tell when she was lying. But even so, she couldn't help but feel that there was something more to what he was saying.
"Well you go on to school and have a wonderful day."
He kissed her cheek and left her by the front door of the school, practically dancing away. His step was giddy, his eyes were a glow, and there was a song in his word.
"Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay,
My, oh, my, what a wonderful day.
Plenty of sunshine headin' my way,
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!"
"Good morning Niffty." He said running into her as she was buying flowers.
"Good morning Alastor. How are you today?" She said.
"Oh I'm just fine and dandy. More than fine and dandy actually. "
"Clearly." She giggled. "What's got you so chipper? Rosie give you a raise?"
"No. I'm just really happy. Say, how much do those flowers cost?"
"Well these Daffodils are about ten dollars a bouquet. But you know Daffodils mean friendship, so if you were by any chance looking to buy flowers for a special lady." She smiled with an eyebrow raised. "I would say go for a more romantic meaning blossom. Like Roses, Tulips, Carnations, Orchids, or Peonies. Just saying."
"I'll keep that in mind."
He continued with his walk.
"Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay,
My, oh, my, what a wonderful day."
Then he saw Angel walking Fat Nuggets down the street.
"Angel!" He cheered running toward him. "Angel, dance with me buddy!"
"Huh?"
He grabbed his effeminate long time friend and pulled him into a playful waltz.
"Alastor please, not in front of Nugsy." Angel protested, confused. "And you're a rotten lead by the way."
"Says you. I've been told that I'm a splendid lead."
"What's up with you? You drunk or something."
"No." He said "My life is just so wonderful. I mean I have a lot to be grateful for. I have a well paying job in which I perform, I have a cute and sweet little sister whom I adore, you for a best friend and you've always been loyal, I work for a most generous employer, and I've met the most beautiful, amazing, wonderful woman in the world."
He sighed dreamily.
"Life is just so good, and the Lord has just been so good to me."
"Hold up, are you dying or something?" Angel asked.
Alastor laughed.
"You're so funny Angel. Moments like these make me wonder why you never tried to break into comedy."
"Oh no, you were tricked into trying drugs, weren't you? Don't worry Al, I won't abandon you. I'll stay by your side and get you out of your addiction just like you did with me. Come on, let's go buy some orange juice."
"I'm not on drugs Angel."
"Don't bother denying it pal. I wasted half my life doing that."
"No seriously, I'm clean. Take a look, my eyes aren't red, I'm not trembling, and I don't smell like any drugs."
"Well if you're clean then, why else would you be acting so weird?"
"Well to tell you the truth, I don't really know. For reasons I can't explain, I've started feeling happier than I've ever been in my entire life. Everything seems so different now. I just...I just don't know why."
"That doesn't make sense. How can you be so happy and not know why?"
"One of life's greatest mysteries."
"Okay, if you say so."
"Well I'll see you around. I have to finish up my morning walk, have some lunch with Charlie, then prepare for work tonight. Ta-ta!"
He waved goodbye to Angel, and continued dancing and singing Zippity Doo Dah down the street. Angel watched him in puzzled shock. Now he had seen Alastor sincerely happy before. Like when he was with his mother or playing with his baby sister, or listening to the radio or performing on stage. But this happiness was something new. A kind of joy that he knew Alastor to have never known. A joy without care or reservations.
"Hmmm..." He thought to himself. "Let's see, he's not drunk, he's not not on drugs, his mother hasn't risen from the grave, so what else could possibly cause...Wait a minute. What was it he said about Charlie?"
"And I've met the most beautiful, amazing, wonderful woman in the world."
"No F*in way!" He gasped surprised yet happy. "Nugsy, Hell must have finally frozen over because Al is in love. Oh shit, that means I owe Beth twenty-bucks."
Alastor wasn't the only one acting unsually, overly joyful that day. When Charlie made her usual call to her family to give another status report, she was acting very fishy to her parents and sisters. Her eyes were sparkling and her cheeks were so red. She was humming little tunes and fluffing her hair, almost acting completely oblivious.
"Darling is everything alright?" Lilith asked.
"Oh everything is perfect Mother." She sighed before sniffing a sea flower she had plucked.
"I suppose it must be." Lucifer observed. "You seem very happy today."
"Oh Daddy, everything's just been so sweet and fair lately. I've been seeing so many lovely things. Three days ago they had a celebration here where colorful sparks shot into the sky, they were like stars. It was beautiful."
"Charlotte, your sisters are here." Lilith spoke. "They wish to speak to you. They've missed you a great deal."
"Alright. Put them on."
All five of her sisters appeared in the watery image.
"How are you little sister?" Helena asked.
"I am well." Charlie answered. "Better than well I should say. I'm learning so much up here."
"Has anyone harmed you?" Aurora asked.
"No. Nothing like that has happened."
"I'm curious. What do the humans you see, look like?" Asked Evelyn.
"Quite ugly I'm sure." Delilah said.
"Oh not at all. The little girl who lives nearby is so pretty. Her hair is red like sea flowers and her eyes are as green and lovely as yours Delilah. And her brother is so handsome. His hair is dark, his cheek is tan, and his eyes...Oh his eyes."
She was swooning.
"They're as warm, deep, and brown as the earth itself. I have never seen such eyes in my entire life."
The five mermaids noticed a familiar gleam in the eyes of their youngest sister. Although they had never seen it in her before, they were familiar with what it meant, and it worried them.
"Charlotte have you met anyone there?" Helena asked. "Anyone male? Like another merman?"
"No."
"And Seviathan hasn't paid you any visits, has he?" Beatrice asked.
"No. We haven't spoken to each other since I called him an arrogant blowfish."
"Oh dear." Aurora said. "Charlie can we talk about something?"
"Oh not now! It's almost noon and I've...I've made plans...With the dolphins here. But we'll talk again soon." Charlie said excitedly. "Goodbye, I love you."
"Wait!"
Her image then faded in the water, leaving her sisters concerned.
"Oh she's got it bad." Beatrice said.
"What?" Asked Lucifer overhearing the conversation. "What has she got?"
"Isn't it obvious Daddy?" Helena replied. "Charlotte's in love."
"In love?"
"You know." Evelyn said. "Crushed out. Switched on. Worked up."
"Far gone." Delilah said. "Knocked down. Hard hit. In deep."
"Quit it with the slag, I know what in love is. But how could it happen to your sister? She hasn't been around any mermen for months. Unless...Of course."
He smiled.
"Well this is wonderful news."
"It is?" His other daughters said confused.
"Yes, this is what I wanted in the first place."
"Father are you sure we're on the same wave?" Beatrice asked. "What do you think is going on here?"
"When your mother and I agreed to your sister's little deal, I suggested to Seviathan that he regularly message Charlotte over the Summer. Try to get to know her better and woo her with words. Seems like he took my advice because now Charlotte loves him."
"Actually Father-"
"Yes!" Aurora interrupted. "Yes she's finally succumbed to his charms but don't make any annoucements yet, at least not until she comes home. Why don't you go tell Mother the good news?"
"Oh yes, she'll be very pleased."
The sisters waited until he was gone before he spoke again.
"Aurora what are you doing?" Helena asked. "You know Charlotte hasn't fallen for Seviathan. She's fallen for that human she just described."
"I know but we can't tell Daddy. We all know what'll happen if he finds out. He'll kill that human and if that happens while Charlie loves him, we may lose her forever."
"Good point."
"Still we can't let this interspecies romance happen." Beatrice said. "Not again."
"Yes if this happens again, it'll surely destroy Mother and Father." Helena said. "There will be no chance of recovery."
"I know but we can't tell them about this. You know Daddy let's his emotions control everything he does." Aurora said. "He may end up driving Charlie away."
"So what do we do?" Evelyn asked.
"We'll do what we should have done last time. We'll go to Charlie and try to talk some sense into her."
"But what if she doesn't listen?" Delilah asked.
"She'll listen because we're going to tell her what happened to Celeste."